Altaf confessed that he and his two sons, aged 14 and 15, had murdered his landlord Manjunath from Nelamangala, cut off his head and buried it in his land, before throwing the remains in Vrishabhavathi river near Kengeri. Altaf and his sons, residents of Haleguddadahalli on Mysuru Road, opened a wood factory in a shed belonging to Manjunath, in Kempalinganahalli a few months ago. The family later rented a house near the Nelamangala bypass.

Altaf was unable to pay rent in time and Manjunath allegedly used abusive language against them. The tenant’s family decided to avenge the humiliation. Altaf called Manjunath to the shed, saying he would clear the rent arrears. When Manjunath visited them on January 23, Altaf and his sons slit his throat. Later, they chopped off his head and buried it in Manjunath’s land, took the headless body to Bengaluru in a car and dumped it in the river.